Big reach,
real transfer numbers in Dallas
You're deciding whether to spend your first two years at Dallas College before finishing a bachelor's elsewhere in Texas. That choice involves real numbers: cost, transfer rates, earnings after graduation, and whether the programs here match where you want to go.
~70,000 undergrads, 21% transfer out by year 8, median $42k 10-yr earnings, $9,500 median debt.
One of the largest CCs in Texas, with a real transfer-out track record
Dallas College enrolls nearly 70,000 undergraduates — one of the biggest community colleges in the country. About 21% transfer to a four-year institution within eight years, and median earnings land at $42k ten years out. Median debt is a modest $9,500, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. General Studies alone produced 5,426 completions in a single year, and Automotive Technology, Business Administration, and Early Childhood Education all exceed 350 completions. In-district tuition is $2,370 and net price is $3,214, making the cost case straightforward for Dallas-area students.
Dallas College serves nearly 70,000 undergraduates across the Dallas metro — a scale that makes it one of the largest community colleges in the United States. Nearly 74% of students attend part-time, which shapes how quickly students move through and out. The top program by volume is General Studies, with 5,426 completions, followed by Automotive Technology at 768 and Business Administration at 543. Early Childhood Education (394), Criminal Justice (362), Accounting (351), and Emergency Medical Technology (337) round out a broad, workforce-oriented curriculum. The eight-year transfer-out rate is about 21%, which means one in five students makes it to a four-year institution within that window. Median earnings ten years out sit at $42k, and median borrower debt is $9,500 — modest for a credential that can serve as a bachelor's launchpad. For Dallas-area students weighing cost and flexibility, the numbers are hard to argue with: net price is $3,214, in-district tuition is $2,370, and the three-year loan default rate is 0%.
What this CC teaches at scale
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| General Studies. | 5,426 |
| Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. | 768 |
| Business Administration and Management, General. | 543 |
| Early Childhood Education and Teaching. | 394 |
| Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. | 362 |
| Accounting. | 351 |
| Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic). | 337 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician. | 315 |
| Computer Programming/Programmer, General. | 297 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. | 288 |
Source · IPEDS completions (all undergraduate credentials).
Where Texas transfers tend to go
Reflects state-aggregated IPEDS transfer-in volume — CC-specific destinations are not publicly available from IPEDS or the College Scorecard.
Frequently asked
- Is Dallas College a good place to start a bachelor's degree?
- The data makes a reasonable case, especially for cost-conscious Dallas-area students. About 21% of students transfer to a four-year institution within eight years — not exceptional, but real, and it happens against a backdrop where 74% attend part-time, which naturally slows progress. In-district tuition is $2,370 per year and the average net price is $3,214, so you can complete two years here without accumulating serious debt: median borrower debt is $9,500 and the three-year loan default rate is 0%. Median earnings ten years after enrollment are $42k. The tradeoff is that you'll need to be intentional about your transfer plan — at a college this large, the path doesn't find you.
- How does Dallas College's transfer-out rate compare to typical community colleges?
- Dallas College's eight-year transfer-out rate is about 21%. National research typically puts the average community college transfer rate in the 15–25% range, so Dallas College sits in the middle of that band. The context matters: nearly 74% of its undergrads attend part-time, which extends timelines and tends to suppress transfer rates. An additional 2.3% were still enrolled at the eight-year mark, and 25% had completed a credential at Dallas College itself. Given the scale — nearly 70,000 undergrads — the 21% figure represents a large absolute number of students actually reaching a four-year institution, even if the percentage looks moderate on its own.
- What programs does Dallas College offer at meaningful scale?
- Dallas College's highest-volume program is General Studies, with 5,426 completions — an unusually large number that reflects how many students use it as a flexible transfer-prep track. Automotive Technology produced 768 completions and Business Administration 543, both well-developed offerings. Early Childhood Education (394), Criminal Justice (362), Accounting (351), Emergency Medical Technology (337), Electrical and Communications Engineering Technology (315), Computer Programming (297), and Registered Nursing (288) round out the top ten. The breadth is notable: workforce-ready programs sit alongside transfer-oriented ones, which means the college has real infrastructure — advising, course sections, faculty — across a wide range of fields, not just a few flagship areas.
Methodology — Transfer signals reflect IPEDS Outcome Measures 8-year cohorts; earnings and debt come from the College Scorecard. Destinations are state-aggregated; we do not claim CC-specific transfer destinations without authoritative per-student tracking data.